<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Earth's Daughter by Williread</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25531717">Earth's Daughter</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Williread/pseuds/Williread'>Williread</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Katekyou Hitman Reborn!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Chat with me in the comments about the story, Gen, Mami Kozato has untapped potential, My muse hit and it hurt a bit, She a tad crazy, enjoy my children, i wrote this in three days, mostly OCs</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 08:28:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,354</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25531717</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Williread/pseuds/Williread</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Mami Kozato knew she was meant to be dead. Her home and family were dead, all of them gone. Not her though. No, she survived and was alone, without her family. Now she has to survive on the streets of Italy without a familiar face.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Aftermath</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I do not claim to own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Please enjoy the fic I wrote in a span of three days.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She was supposed to be dead, that much Mami knew. After waking up in the burning remains of her home and the memory of her brother leaving her in a safe spot, Mami was surrounded by corpses. They seemed to all have collapsed chests and Mami didn’t want to think about how it happened. All she remembered was an attack, being chased after her parents were killed, then hiding. After that everything was fuzzy. Mami looked around and began to cry. Her home, her friends, her family, all gone. No one she could see was alive. </p>
<p>Mami began to wander the ruins of her home.</p>
<p>“ENMA!” Mami called</p>
<p>No answer.</p>
<p>“ENMA!” Mami called louder</p>
<p>Still no answer.</p>
<p>“PLEASE! WHERE ARE YOU!” Her cries increased.</p>
<p>“Enma.... I need you... please...” Mami sank down on to her knees and sobbed. The sun began to rise, coating the destruction in red hues. Mami looked out at her home, now mere rubble and wondered, “Why us?”</p>
<p>By the time Mami arose from the ground, the sun was high in the sky and her stomach was protesting the lack of food. Mami walked on unsteady legs in hope of finding some source of food.</p>
<p> After what seemed like hours for Mami, she comes across the remnants of what used to be a kitchen. After some searching, Mami manages to find some unopened granola bars in a toppled cabinet. While the bars are practically dust Mami eats them regardless. Mami knows that she can’t stay in the ruins of her home anymore. There isn’t enough food or freshwater for her to survive.</p>
<p> She remembers the days that she and Enma would sneak out and go exploring in the woods, sometimes her Mama would join them and teach them about nature and how to use the world around them. Mami looks at the sky to see the sun already beginning to set and decides to leave tomorrow. </p>
<p>Mami finds herself back at the place Enma left her to hide and feels the familiar sting if tears. With a quivering lip, Mami lays down in the blanket filled nook and cries herself to sleep, not for the last time.</p>
<p>Not a week later when Mami finds herself at a nearby town and curling herself into a ball in some alley does the situation really hit her.  Her home is gone. Her family is gone. Everything that made her life what it was is gone. Mami is alone.</p>
<p>In the days following her realization, Mami is an empty shell of the person she used to be. She doesn’t smile. She doesn’t get angry. She doesn’t even cry. She’s... empty.</p>
<p>Day after day she numbly wanders the Italian town begging for food, water, or money. Once the begging isn’t enough she starts to steal. She’s horrid at it. It takes a month for her to move to a bigger area, the town just isn’t big enough to survive. </p>
<p>Mami is in Salerno next. The port city is bigger than she’s used to. One of the largest places she’s ever been in before and gets lost often. Not that she has a specific hunting ground, so to speak, it’s just some areas are better than others for surviving.</p>
<p>It takes Mami months to survive on theft alone and when it does happen she feels strangely liberated.</p>
<p>Winters are rough. The cold air blowing off the coast chills Mami to the bone and more often than not she finds that other homeless children will cuddle up to her at night. She is reminded of her brother and cries on those nights, but tears are better than freezing. She persists.</p>
<p>“I will not die. I’ll live for everyone.” She repeats her mantra on the worse nights.</p>
<p>Mami is five when she learns how to beg. Mami is six when she begins to steal. Mami is seven when she knows who to steal from and who not to.</p>
<p>“ GET BACK HERE YOU BRAT!”</p>
<p>Mami runs as fast as her child's body allows before collapsing in an alley thinking she made another successful steal.</p>
<p>“You... hand the food over and no one gets hurt.” Mami foolishly glares at the panting man and hold the apple closer to her body.</p>
<p>The man lunges at Mami and, with more strength than one would expect, kicks her in the chest. Something cracks and Mami cries out in pain. The man continues to wail on her until he’s out of breath before he leaves. He never took the stolen apple back.</p>
<p>That night Mami finds a man with a missing leg and he patches her up for the price of her apple.</p>
<p>“Now watch closely.” He begins to wrap her chest. “Wrap flat and firm, not too tight. Go above the broken rib and wrap ‘til yer below the rib.” Mami slowly sat up next to the man.</p>
<p>“Remove the bandages often take a few deep breaths before putting ‘em on again. Come back once a week with food and I’ll do a check-up on yer ribs.”</p>
<p>Mami nodded and winced at the pain every so often.</p>
<p>“Yer a strong one y’know. Most men would be wailin’ away for their mama by now, but here yea’ are takin’ it like a true warrior! Hah!”</p>
<p>“Why- How do you know how to do this?” Mami looks at the scruffy man with a curious face.</p>
<p>“ Was a Military doctor. Sailin’ around in the war treatin’ all sortsa wanna-be hero.  Stupid bastards, the lot of ‘em.”</p>
<p>“Ah.” The two didn’t speak until morning. Mani re-wrapped her ribs under the careful eye of the Military doctor and once she was given the okay, left for the week.</p>
<p>After six weeks and six days of bringing the doctor food, Mami was proclaimed, “Good as a clam” whatever that was supposed to mean. That didn’t mean Mami stopped her visits though, every week Mami would come with some food for the both of them and they’d talk about whatever came to mind. Never their past though. They had an unspoken rule that they don’t ask about each other’s past. All they knew was that he was a Navy Doctor and she wasn’t from Salerno. They didn’t know why they were on the streets and they liked it that way. Not even their names were shares.</p>
<p>On one spring morning the now eight Mami had brought the usual food offering to the doctor and Mami had a thought. Over the three years Mami had been on the streets she was kicked, punched, cut, and otherwise beaten. </p>
<p>“You were in the Military, yeah?” Mami interrupted the silence that hat fallen between them.</p>
<p>The Doctor only raised a brow in response.</p>
<p>“Could you train me? I’d bring more food of course! And I’d work really hard! And- and I could protect myself better- I could protect you! No, you are probably fine b-” Mami missed the amused smile the Doctor had as she rambles on.</p>
<p>“Sure kid.”</p>
<p>“Of course you’d say no, what was I thinking- I’ll go n- what.” Mami stopped and looked at the Doctor once more.</p>
<p>“ I said, sure kid. I don’ mind. Passin’ on my skills to the next generation and all that.”</p>
<p>She gaped. “Really?”</p>
<p>“Keep askin’ that an’ I’ll change my mind.” Mami shut her jaw with a click and stood up straight and gave a mock salute.</p>
<p>“Yes, Captain!”</p>
<p>He smirked. “ Imma Doctor not a Captain! Besides you’ve got the arm up. If I’s a Captain I’d punish ya’ fer that.”</p>
<p>They laughed together and Mami felt something she hadn’t in a long time, joy.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Caught</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mami was still a shell of the child she used to be, but as time went on and she met the Doctor, she began to heal. Once she began learning how to fight Mami she found herself become more confident in who she is and who she hopes she will become. Confident, strong, and comfortable.</p>
<p>“Straighten’ yer back out! A posture like that’ll get ya’ killed!” Mami stood straight. “Good! Now on most people yer legs are gonna be the stronger limbs to use and as a child yer not gonna be that strong.” Mami glared at the Doctor. “ Calm down kid. All that means is yer gonna train twice as hard. I will not tolerate any half-assed effort! So! If you can you’ll wanna eat more than ya are now, but due to our... current circumstances I doubt it’ll happen.” Mami’s eyes sparkled at the challenge.</p>
<p>More food? Count me in. I’ll have to go after the bigger fish though. Oh darn~</p>
<p>Let it not be said that Mami didn’t enjoy a good challenge.</p>
<p>Getting more food was hard, very hard. It took her months to get enough food regularly for both of them. Not to mention that now she was going to the Doctor every day now. At least she moved her more permanent sleeping area closer to him.</p>
<p>Mami took to fight like a fish to water and both the Doctor and Mami herself were surprised. Well, Mami not as much as the Doctor. She was raised in a mafia family, after all, small they might have been but they were not weak. Mami scowled as she thought about her family. Dead. All because of them. Mami knew that the attackers That Night were part of Vongola but Mami was not on the path of revenge, she was here to survive. </p>
<p>The Doctor saw Mami’s glow for a split second but didn’t comment on it. He had seen it happen before with his Commander in the war. Her eyes had flashed blue while others had flashed yellow, red, green, indigo, violet, and more blue. There was a lot of blue. He never commented on it before and he wouldn’t start now.</p>
<p>Mami was ten when she noticed the Doctor slowing. She never asked. Mami knew he was quite old but, she never wanted to acknowledge his age, she wanted to believe he’d never die, not like her family. Sooner or later she’d have to deal with the inevitable.</p>
<p>Mami was beginning to gain some much-needed weight as she trained and in turn, became a more skilled thief. Not to say she was a healthy weight for a ten-year-old girl, no she was still quite small, but things were starting to look up for Mami.</p>
<p>Mami was thrilled. She had managed to snatch two baguettes, three apples, and even a little cheese! They’d have to eat the cheese that day lest it mold, but this was at least a full days worth of food! In one go! Mami couldn’t wait to show the Doctor before training.</p>
<p>Mami climbed down from the roof she preferred to travel on. Safer, and less likely to be seen from the ground. Besides, it’s not like the average person can smoothly go roof jumping. Mami hummed a happy little tune while climbing down the ladder.</p>
<p>“Look at today’s haul, Doc!” Mami turned and froze at what she saw. There was a man standing over the Doctor with a bloody knife and a maniacal grin on his face. The food fell from her arms with a soft thump and the man looked over.</p>
<p>“What do we have here, hm?” Mami couldn’t look away from her friend covered in his own blood and gasping in pain.</p>
<p>She didn’t see the man lunge. One moment she was looking at the downed Doctor the next she was staring at the sky with a sharp pain on her cheek. Mami snapped out of her trance and clawed at the face of the man on top of her. He yelled and reared back holding an eye and dropping his knife.</p>
<p>“You BITCH!” Mami grabbed the knife on the ground and slashed at his legs, making him fall to his knees. Her eyes locked onto the man and he froze. Mami’s eyes glowed a burnt umber and the man trembled. He fell forward unable to hold himself up from the unnatural hold gravity now had on him. The man didn’t see the knife coming.</p>
<p>Mami jumped over the dead man to the Doctor. “Doc! Hey, can you hear me?” The Doctor looked at Mami.</p>
<p>“Yer hurt, kid.” Mami wetly chuckled.</p>
<p>“You to Doc.”</p>
<p>“Y’know,” He coughed up some blood causing Mami to panic and place pressure on his wounds.</p>
<p>“If I had a Gran-kid I think they’d be like ya.” Mami smiled.</p>
<p>“If I had a Grandpa I’d hope they’d be like you.”</p>
<p>“Yer a good kid. Stronger than most to. You'll be fine without me.” Mami began to cry.</p>
<p>“I don’t want to be without you! I don’t think I can!” The Doctor stared at the sky with on seeing eyes.</p>
<p>“When I pass don’ bother burying me. Take that knife, it’s a good one I can feel it.” Mami can’t help snorting at the horrible joke.</p>
<p>“I-,” The Doctor gives her a look. “Okay.”</p>
<p>By the time the sun rose the next morning Mami had tended to her cheek, a nasty slice, and cleaned off the dagger. Ignoring the familiar sting in her eyes Mami turned her back on her friend and her enemy. She stayed in Salerno for a few days before she was unable to stand the silence and her own thoughts. The city wasn’t the same without her Doctor to train and entertain her, so she left. </p>
<p>Mami didn’t have a plan so she did what she thought anyone would do, Get in the bed of some random truck and see where she lands. The first few trucks she hid on were citizen-owned and they barely went far enough. Eventually, Mami learned how to spot a tourist's truck and she soon found herself traveling the country using this method. The traveling took her mind off of the Doctor and for that she was glad. Not to mention that she rather enjoyed the traveling. Her fun however was stopped short when one particular tourist truck she was stowed away on wanted to leave the country. Mami liked Italy and she didn’t want to leave. That's when she made the mistake of looking out from under the tarp she hid under, looking right into security’s eyes.</p>
<p>Merda.</p>
<p>Cursing her luck, Mami jumped out the bed of the truck onto security’s shoulders. The man fell over and Mami ran for the hills. She dared not look back when she could still hear the heavy footfalls of the men and women behind her. She turned into an alley and tried to catch her breath. Hearing a shout she attempted to scale the fence behind her only to have her ankle grabbed. She was put into a firm hold while she fruitlessly struggled for freedom. She began to tire and the policewoman holding her just tightened her grip more. Mami stopped struggling and slumped in the woman’s hold.</p>
<p>“Dannazione.” The woman just barked out a rough laugh.</p>
<p>Being held in police custody wasn’t too bad. They gave her freshwater while she waited to be questioned, more than expected from the police. Mami waited patiently, savoring the cool water that was so rare to her. She knew she was being watched from the glass in the wall, she wasn’t stupid. Not like she could escape anyways. There were multiple guards both in and out of the cell she was being held in, besides, the air-conditioned room felt so good to Mami’s hot skin that she thought for the brief moment, that maybe, just maybe she’d want to stay. She wouldn’t though. She couldn’t. She would most likely be put in some shitty orphanage or right into jail. </p>
<p>Mami sighed before jumping as the door was shoved open, likely some form of intimidation.</p>
<p>Hah!  As if I’d fall for that! Bring it on big guy!</p>
<p>The large man was followed in by another holding a thin folder. The smaller man set the folder down and left the room.</p>
<p>Ooookay? Too weak to carry your own papers, or too buff and manly?</p>
<p>“ I’ve been told you were found in the bed of Miss Smith's truck and ran away upon being caught, is that correct? Know that I will know the second you even think about lying.”</p>
<p>Mami resisted the rising snort and simply nodded an affirmative.</p>
<p>“Why would a child such as yourself foolishly try to leave the country. Illegally I may add. Were the Smiths assisting in your callous endeavor?”</p>
<p>“Wasn’t tryin’ to leave the country. And trust me, the Smiths had nothing to do with this, they are simply the owners of the truck I stowed away in.” The man glared at me.</p>
<p>“You weren’t trying to leave the County? Are you sure about that?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>“Something tells me that you’re hiding something from me. You really, truly, were not trying to leave Italy.” He leans in invading Mami’s personal space.</p>
<p>“I am not hiding anything, you simply haven’t asked. And from your rather insistent questioning of if I want to leave the country, it makes it seem like you want me to have been try to leave. But to answer your question for the third time, no I wasn’t trying to leave Italy.” As Mami went on the large man's face became redder and redder. Until he finally slammed his fists on the table causing the papers to go flying off the table and the remainder of the water spill onto Mami’s leg.</p>
<p>Aww, that was some good water.</p>
<p>The man stood and towered over the unaffected Mami. “Listen here monello. I currently have your parents on hold in my office and when they hear about what you’ve done...”</p>
<p>This time Mami couldn’t hold back the laughter. “Hah! Really, my parents? Do tell how you even got their phone number, hm?” </p>
<p>The man couldn’t help the feeling that he just messed up. “ My files hold all of your information including your parents' phone numbers monello!”   </p>
<p>Mami scoffed, “Yeah, I’m so sure those files of yours have their numbers but do tell, how did you call them? Last I knew they have been dead for the past five years!” The man's eyes widened and he stuttered.</p>
<p>“W-well, I-” A stern female voice came over the speakers.</p>
<p>“Rossi! My office, Now.”</p>
<p>Mami scoffed as the man left and mourned her spilled water. One of the guards came closer.</p>
<p>“Uhh, do you- do you want some more water?” Mami’s eyes sparkled at the guard and she left and came back with more water.</p>
<p>“Thank you, signorina!”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”</p>
<p>The guard returned to her corner opposite the other guard in the room and watched Mami happily sip at her water, swinging her too-short legs. Around fifteen minutes a woman walked into the room and the guards stood straighter in her presence.</p>
<p>That's the woman who caught me.</p>
<p>Sighing the woman sat down across from Mami.</p>
<p>“Hey, the name’s Adriana. Listen, kid, I want to get you out of here as much as you do, and for that to happen you need to answer some questions.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” Mami liked the woman, sure she was a policewoman, but other than that she seemed okay enough.</p>
<p>“Name?”</p>
<p>“Mami.”</p>
<p>“Last name?”</p>
<p>“...” Mami stared at the woman in silence. The woman raised a brow. “Ricci.”</p>
<p>“ Alright Miss Ricci, birth-date?”</p>
<p>“ April 18, 1995.”</p>
<p>“You’re ten?” Mami only nodded</p>
<p>The questions continued in a similar manner until the paper held Mami Ricci’s information. Mami knew not to answer all of the personal questions truthfully. On the paper, Mami Ricci was an orphan for five years, born in Salerno, and left only recently after the death of her caretaker, also homeless. Mami Ricci was born to a single mother and a dead father. Melanna and Stefano Ricci.</p>
<p>Mami had a feeling the woman knew she wasn’t telling the full truth but she never said anything and Mami didn’t correct herself.</p>
<p>“Alright,” She crossed her arms and set them on the table.” Now, I am aware that you weren’t trying to leave the country, and that the Smiths had no idea you were there, but why were you stowing your self away on a stranger's truck?”</p>
<p>“Travel. Salerno had too many bad memories. Couldn’t stand it. So, I hid myself on the Smith's truck and away they went.”</p>
<p>The woman looked tired. “Listen, kid, normally I’d put someone in jail for this, no for too long but they’d still go. However, you’re just a ten-year-old orphan who’s probably hurting. So, I’ll give you an alternative choice, I’ll send you to a good orphanage around here. What do you say? ”</p>
<p>Mami thought. Not for long, but it did happen. Her plan was to go to the orphanage and if was real shitty she’d leave. Not a hard choice, but a choice all the same.</p>
<p>“I’ll go.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. New Beginnings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘The orphanage could be worse I suppose.’ Mami mused</p>
<p>Saint Maria’s Home for Children was better than she had thought. Sure the children weren’t kind, but they weren’t antagonistic toward her either. The matron of the orphanage was stern, but not cruel and the food was warm and more than she was used to, and the water fresh. All in all, not a bad set up. The other children avoided Mami. </p>
<p>Probably the scar. </p>
<p>After the cut from the Doctors killer healed most of the way Mami look fairly frightening. The cut went from the outer corner of her eye, just missing the eye, to the edge of her jaw. That along with her muscles cut a frightening figure to the other children. Mami didn’t mind, she was used to being alone.</p>
<p>The most surprising thing was that in this orphanage, the government paid for every child schooling until the child was Sixteen. Mami was thrilled. She may have had missed five years of schooling but she loved to learn. She couldn’t wait.</p>
<p>Mami regrets this. The school was one of the worst in Italy. The classrooms were disgusting and the bathrooms seemed to have never been cleaned. Even the streets seemed to be cleaner! Sure Mami may have been living on the streets but even she smelled better than the teachers.</p>
<p>Mami sighed and listened to the teacher drone on about something she didn’t know and resisted the urge to pick at a loose thread on her ratty overpriced uniform. She might have been behind in her schooling but at least there were free tutors during break and after school.</p>
<p>Mami got to know the tutors quite well, seeing that she was there twice a day for hours on end it wasn’t surprising. She swears the tutors have more knowledge than all of the teachers combined. </p>
<p>She got to know Louie the best. He was an older french man who moved to Italy in hopes of becoming a teacher, sadly he got stuck into his tutoring profession in a shitty school in a terrible area. Louie says he doesn’t mind. Mami knows he’s lying. </p>
<p>The two met on Mami’s first day when Mami got lost in the opposite end of the school. After Louie showed her to her room Mami asked about tutoring.</p>
<p>Thanks to her love of learning and young mind, Mami was completely caught up to her year in a matter of months. She, however, wasn’t satisfied yet. She went to Louie and asked him to teach her more.</p>
<p>“Not that I’m not happy you want to learn, but are you sure?” Louie set his arms on his office table.</p>
<p>“Yes! The teachers are soooo boring, I can barely stay awake! But, you don’t make want to sleep all the time.” Mami was tempted to give Louie the dreaded puppy dog eyes but withheld the urge. She wasn’t begging on the streets anymore. She didn’t need to beg anymore.</p>
<p>Louie sighed and looked at Mami for a few seconds. “ Tell you what, if you can get full marks on the upcoming exams I’ll teach you some more advanced stuff. Okay?"</p>
<p>Mami’s eyes sparkled and she grabbed Louie’s hands. “ I won’t let you down sir!” She proceeded to run into the door in her rush to leave. Ignoring the heat on her ears and neck she opened the door and left at a slower pace than before.</p>
<p>Louie was nodding off in his office when Mami slammed open the door.</p>
<p>“Sir!” Mami had a huge smile on her face as she bounced in place.</p>
<p>“Aah!” Louie fell off of his chair. “ Oh, Mami, it’s just you.” He sat back on his chair as if nothing had happened. “What is it?” </p>
<p>Mami skipped to his desk and slapped a folder onto his deck. “Full marks plus extra credit!” She proudly showed him her results.</p>
<p>“Wonderful work Mami! Now, what shall we start with?”</p>
<p>Mami thought for a minute before answering. “ You’re French, yes?”</p>
<p>Louie was beginning to regret his promise.</p>
<p>“Could you teach me French?”</p>
<p>“Mami, I’m hardly qualified to-”</p>
<p>“Please? I’m sure you’ll be fine!”</p>
<p>Louie sighed and reluctantly nodded.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mami was turning thirteen soon. She gazed out at the night sky from her perch on an oak tree. The stars were twinkling and the breeze music to her ears. Mami closed her eyes and jumped off the branch to the earth. She began walking a path in the woods only she knew. Eventually, She came to a clearing where she stepped into the middle of. Mami starting performing intense stretches, folding into impossible angles. The moon high in the sky Mami stopped her stretches in favor of pulling out the dagger she got years ago. She swung the knife into enemies only she knew and kicked to air, unaware of how the grass around her was pressed flat, how the leaves floated around her, and the stones that dug into the earth. Unknowing of her glowing eyes and flickering forehead. </p>
<p>Summer was coming and with it summer break. Mami was unsure of how to feel. She hated the school itself along with the teachers who taught there, but she loved the tutors. She sighed and continued wandering the streets of Turin.</p>
<p> She may no longer live on the streets but she was not required to stay within the confines of the orphanage. As long as the children were back for eight pm curfew and went to school on time the staff didn’t care where you went or what you did. </p>
<p>Mami, ever the independent person, chose to spend her free time wandering the city, stealing a few bills here and there, she didn’t want to get rusty. Other times she would go and explore nearby forests. They reminded her of home and her family, something she never wanted to forget. </p>
<p>Mami grabbed a loose bill out of a well-dressed woman’s pocket in one fluid motion and continued walking. Mami’s mind was filled with thoughts of her family on this night and she couldn’t focus on her studies. She noticed the sun lowering in the sky and began to make her way to the orphanage. </p>
<p>She didn’t sleep that night.</p>
<p>It was Mami’s last year of lower secondary school and she was nearing the end of that year as well. The upper secondary school was in a different building and that meant different tutors. Mami knew she was a few years above her peers and hoped she would be able to skip a few years. She was fluent in French and had begun to learn English in addition to her other privet studies. Mami also knew that she would miss Louie a lot, as well as his teachings but, Mami would cope. Just like she always does.</p>
<p>“Hey!” Mami ignored the boy calling after her. “Hey, you!” </p>
<p>Ignore the yelling child, Mami. He does this every day and says the same thing.</p>
<p>“Mami! Will you go out with me?”  Mami! Will you go out with me?</p>
<p>Mami sighed and faced the younger boy with a blank face. “ Fabio, you have asked me the same question for two months straight now.”</p>
<p>“And? You might change your mind!” Fabio pouted at Mami.</p>
<p>“My answer is the same. No. I will not go out with you. Please do not ask again.” Mami turned on her heel and stalked away.</p>
<p>She reached her room and she flopped on her bed face first and groaned.</p>
<p>“Rough day?”</p>
<p>Mami nodded and continued her dramatic groaning.</p>
<p>“Fabio. It’s the second month now! Sixty. Days. How is one boy so determined?”</p>
<p>Lia snorts.</p>
<p>“Like- He hasn’t tried a new tactic! It's the same thing: Mami! Will you go out with me?”  Mami makes her voice deeper, mimicking Fabio.</p>
<p>Lia was Mami’s new roommate at the orphanage as of one month ago. She was one of the only people not bothered by Mami’s scar and thus was put into the same room. She was a nice girl. Tall, pretty, and kind. Not the kind of person you’d think to be a spider obsessed insomniac, but here she is, the spider whisperer.</p>
<p>Lia continued to inspect the Violin Spider in her palm, occasionally cooing at it.</p>
<p>Mami looks up at her roommate and raises an eyebrow. “Those are venomous you know.”</p>
<p>“Yep!”</p>
<p>Mami stares at her cooing friend and rolls her eyes before sitting up. “What’s wrong with them?”</p>
<p>Lia looks up. “Oh, the poor dear lost a leg to a falling rock the other day. She’s on the path to a full recovery though.”</p>
<p>“ ...Good.”</p>
<p>“Indeed!” The room is silent for a few moments before there is a call at the door.</p>
<p>“Dinner in five!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mami looked up at the much nicer school and fearlessly entered the building. She goes into what looks like the main office.</p>
<p>“Ciao.” A secretary looks up at her. </p>
<p>“Ciao. What can I do for you?” The man turns his chair to face Mami.</p>
<p>“I’m here for my times' table.”  </p>
<p>The man rolls over to a filing cabinet and pulls out the bottom drawer. “Name?”</p>
<p>“Mami Ricci."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Past Returning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I hope those are notes you are writing, Miss Ricci.”</p>
<p>Mami moved her red hair behind her shoulder and continued to write.</p>
<p>“Miss Ricci.” The teacher sighed at his student and quickly took the notebook off Mami’s deck.</p>
<p>“Ah!” Mami made to grab the book from her teacher before stopping herself.</p>
<p>“We’ve talked about this Miss Ricci.” </p>
<p>Mami looked at her teacher with warm cheeks. “ Ahah, sorry sir.” She scratched her neck. “Won’t happen again.”</p>
<p>“See that it doesn’t.” With that, the lecture resumed and Mami ignored the snickers directed at her with practiced ease.</p>
<p>	Mami Ricci, seventeen, and already in college. She was the youngest in her classes but she was considered average overall. Smart, yes, and a bit more confrontational than her peers, but still seen as a completely normal teen. </p>
<p>Sometimes Mami would go quiet for hours and just stare at the earth, no one could snap her out of it, and eventually, it was just seen as one of her quirks. Normal, average, sometimes spacey Mami Ricci.</p>
<p>Mami tried, really she did, but, no matter how hard she tried, she would never be able to a civilian. She was too strong, too flighty, too rough. She couldn’t stop stealing, a bad habit now, even though she had a real, civilian, job. She enjoyed the thrill of the chase far too much to stop.</p>
<p>Mami took requests now, a thief for hire. Her job as a barista wouldn’t pay enough to get through college anyways. One day, Mami would use that money to rebuild her home. Her major in architecture would see it happen. Not to mention how it would help with her side job.</p>
<p>She would get requests from Vongola occasionally. She would change her email after that. Mami could stomach the thought of working with those scum. They killed her family! Why should she steal for them? She may not be going after them for revenge, but she would never help them, the traitors.</p>
<p>Mami had been hired to steal a sword this time. Apparently, this sword had been a family heirloom to her contractor. The sword had been stolen years ago and the family had only just been able to locate the blade. Mami expected this to be an easy job. The Family was small and fairly weak, a simple job with an even easier layout. All she would have to do was sneak in through a window, grab the sword, and leave through the same window. Simple.</p>
<p>Mami really needed to stop jinxing herself. </p>
<p>Easy my ass! </p>
<p>As it turns out the Family she was supposed to steal from also had a hit put on the boss's head. Now, Mami had a certain respect for hitmen and assassins, but not when the killer is a sloppy, idiotic, asshole. The woman was loud and didn’t even bother to cover up her tracks. It was a surprise that she even managed to get her hit in the first place. He even had a witness to his death that the hitwomen didn’t catch. She barely made it out of the room before she was shot dead.</p>
<p>Mami now had to deal with panicking and highly alert guards and other staff, all the while dodging the mess left by the hitwomen. She would’ve waited for the chaos to die down but she had a reputation to uphold. Steeling herself, Mami jumped from the branch supporting her weight, to the roof of the mansion. She snuck along the top of the roof, making sure to keep her steps quiet and her body low, staying out of sight from the patrolling guards down below. Mami continued on her way to the end of the mansion where the sword was being held. Checking the status of the guards, Mami swung down onto the windowsill and opened the window with gloved hands. Closing the window behind her, Mami gazed at the room she was in. She snarled to herself, she had gotten in the wrong room. Foregoing the window behind her Mami returned to the map in her mind's eye. If her memory was to be trusted, the correct room would be down two halls and to the left. </p>
<p>Mami peered out of the crack the door provided. She saw one guard coming towards her location and another walking away. She grinned to herself, this was one of her favorite parts. As the guard passed the door Mami’s hand shot out and grabbed the man by his neck. She choked the guard with her arm while she held his mouth shut with her hand. The man struggled before falling limp in her arms. Mami moved the man into the room she was in before closing the door once more. She looked at the guard before she got an idea.</p>
<p>Mami walked down the hallway dressed in a guards outfit. She passed a guard and gave them a stiff nod. The guard returned it. She wanted to laugh. Oh~ how she loved infiltration! Mami rounded a corner devoid of any guards. Double-checking her surroundings, she entered the room the sword resided in. </p>
<p>Mami couldn’t help the grin that sprouted on her face. The armory was beautifully stocked, blades of all sizes littered to walls, guns of every caliber rested on padded tables, and tools of every trade neatly stacked where they belonged. Mami may have been hired to take the sword but she was still a thief. The wouldn’t notice a few missing things, besides it would be more suspicious if the sword was the only thing stolen. Mami grabbed some lightweight throwing daggers, a lock picking set, smoke bombs, and the sword she was hired to steal. Just as she was about to exit the window set of beautiful ivory pistols caught her eye. Grabbing them, she carefully set them in her bag, hoping to get a pair of holsters for them soon. </p>
<p>Making her way back to the window she was startled by a violent banging on the door. Seems like the found the body. She jumped through the window, not bothering to close it and ran. She cursed as she heard the slam of boots behind her. She dashed across the vast span of roofs, ignoring the burn in her chest. </p>
<p>Mami heard the gun before she felt it. She fell forward off of the roof.</p>
<p>Mami heard voices approach her and she tensed.</p>
<p>“Where did she go?”</p>
<p>“How the hell am I supposed to know, you shot her!”</p>
<p>The group argued before spitting up in hopes of finding her.</p>
<p>Mami sighed in relief before scaling down the wall she was hanging onto. The child in the alley jumped in surprise at Mami’s sudden appearance. Mami put a finger to her lips and handed the kid a couple bills. He nodded at her slowly. Mami winced at the reminder of her shoulder. </p>
<p>Well, She felt around her shoulder, At least I don’t have to fish out a bullet this time.</p>
<p>Mami wrapped a thick coat around her shoulders, hoping to fend off shock and hide her heavily bleeding shoulder.</p>
<p>Mami was nearly back to her apartment when a man ran into her, causing her to fall over.</p>
<p>“Ah! I’m so sorry! Are you alright?” The man helped her up and smiled at her. Ignoring his glaring companion.</p>
<p> Mami held her outer layer closer hoping he didn’t notice the rapidly darkening spot on her grey coat.</p>
<p>“Yes don’t worry about it. Now if you’ll excuse me, I must be getting home now.” Mami’s vision wavered and her head felt as if it was stuffed with cotton.</p>
<p>“Miss?” The man looked at her with concern and reached out. “Are you alright?”</p>
<p>“Yes, I’m fine, nothing to con-” Mami saw a ring on the man's hand that made her heart cold.</p>
<p>A Fucking. Vongola. Ring.</p>
<p>Her demeanor changed from polite to cold in a matter of milliseconds. The two men seemed to notice as well. The blonde stiffened and reached for something in his pocket while the brunets' eyes took a slight amber hue and his eyes found their way to her shoulder. His eyes widened at the blood soaking her shoulder.</p>
<p>“ You’re bleeding!” He came closer and Mami dodged him, head spinning at the sudden movement.</p>
<p>“Don’t touch me Vongola scum.” Mami glared and snarled making the brunet to jump in surprise and the blonde stepped forward practically hissing.</p>
<p>“Don’t call the Tenth scum, witch! He, out of the kindness in his heart, asked you how you were doing! and you dare insult him!? Why I outta-” </p>
<p>‘He was definitely hissing,’ Mami thought in amusement.</p>
<p>“Gokudera.” The blonde immediately backed off but was still hissing obscenities at her.</p>
<p>Mami tried to leave but the brunet stopped her. </p>
<p>“Ah! Wait you’re hurt!”</p>
<p>Mami tried to ignore him but as soon as she rounded a corner her vision went dark and she fell.</p>
<p>Mami woke to the steady beeping of a heart monitor and she froze. Why was she in a hospital?</p>
<p>“Ah, you’re extremely up!” Mami looked at the loud person in the room and saw another Vongola.</p>
<p>“Why am I here?’’  She fought to keep her voice steady. Why was she here? Where they going to kill her? Kill her like the rest of her family?</p>
<p>Just as the man opened his mouth to speak the brunet from before walked in.</p>
<p>“You’re awake! That’s good.” Mami just glared at him.</p>
<p>“What do you want with me? Are you going to kill me too?” The men looked startled at her words and the brunet flailed his arms.</p>
<p>“ Wha- No! Why would I-” Mami ignored the flailing man in favor of inspecting her surroundings. Finding a window she smirked. Mami pulled off the wires and took out the IV needle.</p>
<p>“Hey! Stop it!” The man wearing the lab coat rushed to stop her. He grabbed her arms and stopped her from leaving the bed.</p>
<p>“Let. Me. Go!” In her struggle, Mami’s hair moved from their place over her eyes. Time seemed to slow as the brunet locked eyes with her. His eyes widened at the familiar compass-shaped pupils glaring daggers at him.</p>
<p>“You- Simon?” Mami froze. The brunet’s eyes were glowing an amber color as he looked at her.</p>
<p>The brunet began mumbling to himself and Mami only a few words, “I ------ ----- ---- no more left. - ---- -- tell Enma.” </p>
<p>Enma?</p>
<p>“What did you just say?” The doctor had taken advantage of her frozen form to rewrap her shoulder.</p>
<p>“Hm?” The brunet stopped his pacing and looked at Mami.</p>
<p>“Enma. You-you said Enma. H-how do you know that name?” Mami was on the verge of tears. She wanted to hope, she oh so desperately wanted hope that he was alive, that someone was alive. </p>
<p>“Oh, he’s my friend.”</p>
<p>What? No, it couldn’t be him. It’s just some other Enma, right?</p>
<p>“His last name, is-is it Kozato?” Mami was getting desperate. She had to know.</p>
<p>“Yeah, ho-are you one of the Simon?” Mami couldn’t help it. She broke down and could bearly nod an affirmative at the brunet. </p>
<p>“I-I thought-” Mami tried to wipe away her tears but they were quickly replaced. “ I thought I was the last. B-but Enma, he’s alive?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know why I trust you.” Mami had put her hair out of her face and stared at the Vongola sitting in front of her. They had moved the conversation into an office and the brunet was in his office while the angry blond from before was leaning against the wall behind her. “You’re Vongola. You killed everyone I hold dear. But, seeing as Enma, according to you, is alive, I am missing some critical information.”</p>
<p>The brunet nodded at her. “Yes, but before we get to that, we still haven’t introduced ourselves. I am Tsunayoshi Sawada, Tenth Boss of the Vongola.” Mami’s eye’s widened.</p>
<p>The boss? I may have fucked up, let’s hope he doesn’t hold a grudge.</p>
<p>Mami took a breath and forced on a polite exterior, attempting to hide her nervousness with a smile. “ Mami Kozato,” She saw Sawada’s eyes widen a considerable amount. “ I hope I’m not wrong about you."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. In Who We Trust</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here's the last chapter! Hope you enjoyed it and please, let me know if you did. Now, on with the story!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So what you’re saying is that the first Mist guardian of Vongola swore to ‘keep Vongola strong’, and by that he meant to kill my entire family? That is wasn’t ever ordered to attack the Simon? You’re also telling me that Primo never betrayed Cozarto?” Mami was shocked, her entire life she had been told that Vongola had betrayed them, though, now that she thought about it, Cozarto and Giotto were said to be best friends, brother even.</p>
<p>“Yes.” Sawada was still surprised Enma’s sister was alive but he stayed serious for now.</p>
<p>Mami sighed and put her head in her hands. “ That is fucked up, and Daemon was the cause of all of this?” Sawada nodded at her.</p>
<p>Wait...</p>
<p>“ God my brother is so stupid.” Tsunayoshi looked confused. “He took his guardians alone, I might add, to defeat an entire Famiglia? Revenge or not that goes against all logic.” Mami heard a snort behind her.</p>
<p>As soon as the meeting was over Sawada, ‘Call me Tsuna.’, had called Enma telling him to meet him as soon as possible, that there was something important that had come up. Saw-Tsuna hadn’t told Enma what was going on causing him to panic, thinking the worst, and take the first flight over with all of his guardians. </p>
<p>Mami had not been expecting that response and promptly began panicking. How would he react? Would he call her a fake, hate her, ignore her completely? She didn’t know what to do. Mami so caught up in her pacing, failed to notice the floating and flattened objects surrounding her. She knew she had flames but she hadn’t a clue how to use them, causing things like this to happen.</p>
<p>“Mami, please, I know you’re nervous but I rather not be floating ten-feet in the air.” Tsuna seemed used to this, somehow, and was taking her panicked self in stride.</p>
<p>“ What-” Snapping out of her trance the previously floating objects fell to the ground. “ Oh, sorry! That happens sometimes. Are you okay?” Mami helped Tsuna off the ground and he dusted himself off. </p>
<p>There was a tense silence while only the tick of the clock could be heard.</p>
<p>thump thump thump</p>
<p>Mami looked away from her hands, what was that noise?</p>
<p>thump thump thump thump</p>
<p>Gokudera noticed the sound as well and shifted his stance.</p>
<p>thump thuMP THUMP</p>
<p>Tsuna and Mami stood and faced the door.</p>
<p>BANG</p>
<p>The door slammed open to reveal a panting Enma with his guardians behind him.</p>
<p>“What happened?! Is someone trying to take over the world again?! Is it Iemitsu?! What-” Enma froze. Red hair, red eyes, compass-shaped pupils. What?</p>
<p>Mami couldn’t help it. She began to sob. Her brother was standing in front of her, alive. Big ugly sobs. There was no mistaking his flames. It was him, alive.</p>
<p>Enma didn’t move, when Tsuna called him he expected that something horrible had happened from the shortness, he never could have expected this. He never would have thought, “Mami?”</p>
<p>Enma’s guardians jumped in surprise. They thought they were the last of the Simon.</p>
<p>Mami could barely nod before she tackles her brother. They were both crying now, kneeling on the floor of the Vongola decimo’s office floor, clutching each other desperately.</p>
<p>She wasn’t alone anymore. She had her family back.</p>
<p>Mami Kozato was a scary person, Tsuna thought. The young woman knew almost every type of spider, was unaffected by intimidation, and worst of all, she got along with Reborn of all people. Yes, Mami Kozato was a scary person indeed.</p>
<p>“Hah!” The thief stared down at her brother triumphantly from her perch on a tree, holding a seemingly innocent sheet of paper. </p>
<p>“Mami, please.” Enma looked at his sister pleadingly.</p>
<p>“Awww~ but why? This is such good material!” She waved the paper, emphasizing her point. </p>
<p>“Exactly, it’s good material, against me.” Mami hummed and acted like she was thinking about it. </p>
<p>“Fine~” The paper burned up in her hands and she jumped down next to Enma.</p>
<p>“Thank you, now let’s-” Enma walked in front of Mami leading the way back to the mansion. He missed the mischievous grin on her face as she sent something on her phone.</p>
<p>At the Vongola mansion Reborn’s phone buzzed.</p>
<p>MaKo sent a photo</p>
<p>Reborn opened the image only to grin. The surrounding people shivered and backed away from the cackling sun acobelano. </p>
<p>Inside the message was a picture of two people. Tsuna, and Enma. The pair were looking at the camera in varying states of shock and panic. They were in disarray, clothes ruffled and hair messed up. The was a caption attached to the message.</p>
<p>They grow up so fast ToT</p>
<p>Mami looked at her phone when it buzzed.</p>
<p>Espresso King saved your image</p>
<p>She cackled and Enma felt like he just signed his own death waiver.</p>
<p>The next time the Simon visited the Vongola it was a meeting between allies. The Vongola, CEDEF, Varia, Cavallone, Acobaleno, and more were there. The meeting went along smoothly, par the usual Vongola brand of chaos. The only thing off about the meeting was that Mami felt someone watching her, the gaze wasn’t malicious just curious and surprised. Mami didn’t do anything about the stare, only ignoring it until the end of the meeting where everyone milled about, chatting.</p>
<p>Reborn had dragged her over to some corner where a woman was leaning against the wall. He introduced her as Rosalyn, a fellow hitman. The two talked for a while before Mami paused.</p>
<p>“Wait, Adrianna?” The woman barked out a familiar laugh.</p>
<p>“Hah! Took ya long enough kid! Never expected to see the little brat I caught all those years ago sitting with the big guys!” Mami grinned.</p>
<p>“I knew you were different, policewoman my ass!” Reborn left the two women while he went to bother Tsuna.</p>
<p>“So, Mami Ricci, how's the mafia life treating you?”</p>
<p>Mami snorted, “It’s Kozato actually, besides, you act as if I was ever not in it.”</p>
<p>“Ahh, so you’re the lost sister I heard about.” </p>
<p>“Seems so.” </p>
<p>The two mafia women shared tales of their jobs until the subject of infiltration came up.</p>
<p>The hitwoman raised an eyebrow, “Maybe I can teach you a few things kid, I’ve been looking for an apprentice for some time now and you’re already in the business.”</p>
<p>Mami grinned and handed her a piece of paper, “I might just take you up on that offer.” and she thrived.</p>
<p>The day Mami met the Varia was a day that has been burned into everyone's mind as why Mami Kozato was a scary individual.</p>
<p>“VOI!” Mami ran down the hallway cackling before she jumped the stairs to a landing roll before dashing away from a sword. In her hand, she held a metal object.</p>
<p>Mami watched Squalo tear his sword out of the wall with little difficulty and grinned. “Oi! Need a hand?” She waved Squalo’s metal hand only to dodge him once more. </p>
<p>Mami jumped out of the first window she found. It was on the fourth floor. The mooks below her scrambled out of the way as she landed with a thud. Turning she saw an angry swordsman at the window. She threw the hand at him before running away once more all the while laughing like a madman.</p>
<p>Mami was laying on the ground when she heard the soft tap of feet on the earth. She didn’t move as they laid next to her.</p>
<p>“Hey, Enma?”</p>
<p>He hummed and she looked over at him.</p>
<p>“You know how I said I didn’t do the thing.”</p>
<p>Enma whipped his head towards his sister. “You didn’t...”</p>
<p>She grinned, sharp and mischievous. “Oh, but I did~” Mami jumped up to dodge the hand meant to grab her and danced away.</p>
<p>“Why would you tell Reborn we were together?!”</p>
<p>Mami merely sighed dramatically, “Well someone has to keep him informed on his student's love life.”</p>
<p>“Maaammmiii!” </p>
<p>“Ennnnmmmaaa~”</p>
<p>There was a moment of silence before Mami snorted. Soon both siblings were laughing on the ground. It was nice. Mami was with her brother, her friends, her family and Famiglia. She was happy, whole.</p>
<p>“You didn’t actually tell Reborn, right?”</p>
<p>“Oh, no I definitely did.”</p>
<p>“WHAT?!”</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>